assessment of changes in the phosphorus status of forest ...

Table 6: Concentration of P (mg/g) in the leaf litter of various tree species
measured at different sites, n refers to the number of years, data
presented refer to the samples collected at the end of the growing season;
se = standard error.
Site n min max mean se
Spruce LBKA 11 0.66 1.06 0.82 0.03
LBNH 12 0.62 0.83 0.70 0.02
SLF1 14 0.58 1.01 0.73 0.03
SLFD 13 0.46 0.73 0.55 0.02
W128 4 0.64 0.78 0.73 0.03
Pine AUKI 8 0.29 0.55 0.41 0.03
FUKI 12 0.26 0.61 0.40 0.03
Beech GWBU 14 0.30 0.62 0.44 0.03
HABU 12 0.42 0.79 0.59 0.03
LSBU 14 0.49 1.00 0.70 0.04
SLB1 12 0.12 1.10 0.70 0.08
SLBD 12 0.35 0.97 0.64 0.06
Oak EHEI 14 0.78 1.44 1.11 0.05
2.7 Foliage analysis data from long term P fertilizer experiments
Fertilizer P application increases the foliar P levels and it can remain effective for a
long time depending upon changes in soil P availability, biochemical P cycling and
re-allocation patterns in trees. We provide here the long-term foliar P data measured
periodically in a spruce stand on poor sandy soil at Oerrel, Lower Saxony. The stand
received 45 kg P/ha in 1929, and a second dose of 41 kg P/ha in 1956 as slow release
fertilizer (Basic slag or Rhenania phosphate). Surface soil layers were sampled and
analysed in the 1960’s, which indicated that there was no change in total soil P
content. Most of the applied P had been incorporated into the cycling fraction and any
small difference between the control and P fertilizer treatment was not detectable in
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